Kisco Senior Living Draws On Brain Health Research for New Memory Care Program 

Kisco Senior Living has launched a new memory care model grounded in scientific research and Montessori-based principles.

Last year, the Carlsbad, California-based operator launched Heirloom Memory Care program, a program that is meant to take a personalized approach to memory care with increased staff training, employee retention and culture. The program also draws on brain health research and emphasizes building empathy among staff who care for people experiencing cognitive decline.

The program addresses lifestyle changes and clinical interventions to align with brain health research, bringing intentionality to operations while fostering community and empowerment for residents to destigmatize memory care, according to Kisco Senior Living National Director of Memory Care Brenda Gurung.

While crafting the new program, Kisco leaders invited department heads from across operations to design and develop Heirloom, Gurung noted.

“Every part of this program is based on peer-reviewed research,” Gurung said. “Even though it was our innovative and interdisciplinary ideas that came forward, we also balanced that with proven brain health research.”

The overhaul includes Montessori-based principles, which focus on what the person can still do while offering programming that includes “meaningful tasks” tied to a resident’s identity, life experiences and skills. It also introduces important changes to memory care environments, emphasizing environmental cues for residents with labeling, photos, color contrast and demonstrations of how to complete basic tasks.

“We chose the Montessori approach because it works across all our teams—from engagement and care delivery to responding to behavioral needs—and it supports our goal of breaking stigma and reimagining the dementia journey,” Gurung said. “We want to focus on abilities rather than losses.”

This approach to changing memory care “equally uplifts” staff and residents, so Kisco invests in employees to improve retention and create leadership pipelines for experienced staff seeking careers in memory care. Across Kisco memory care communities, staff must earn certification in Montessori-based practices as “dementia care professionals” to provide baseline understanding and job requirements.

To improve programming and lifestyle engagement for residents, Kisco leaders looked to two impactful studies for inspiration. The first, the U.S. Pointer study by the Alzheimer’s Association, tracked more than 2,000 older adults at risk of cognitive decline over two years. The study compared a structured, coached lifestyle program with a lower-intensity self-guided version. The results showed both groups improved, with greater gains in the structured portion.

The second, the Ornish study, followed people diagnosed with dementia through a 20-week intensive lifestyle program. It included a whole-food plant-based diet, exercise, stress management and social support, which led to improvements in cognitive function, Gurung noted.

“This was intentional within heirloom and among our leadership to bring our memory care residents a holistic approach and seeing them as individuals that are whole and not broken,” Gurung said.

The program includes a proprietary training curriculum based on science-backed research to help staff better serve residents and destigmatize memory care. It creates an “immersive training experience” with practical tools that staff learn alongside established Montessori courses, Gurung noted.

Inside the company’s memory care neighborhoods, Kisco expanded roles with dedicated life enrichment staff and specialized Heirloom leaders, Gurung said.

“We often tell families that, but we also had to tell ourselves—so we ran an internal education campaign to explain what makes these spaces different and why they matter,” Gurung said.

Gurung said the future of memory care requires a philosophical shift that prioritizes dignity, holistic support and meaningful daily experiences for residents. To further improve care, she said operators must strengthen business management and associate retention to improve stability in memory care environments.

“We’ve picked up on the wave, and now we’re going and so this is an exciting time,” Gurung said.

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